Jhoan Duran’s All-Star Entrance Didn’t Go as Planned (Explained Simply)

Updated July 14, 2026, 11:18 p.m. ET

Who is Jhoan Duran?

Jhoan Duran is a baseball player (a pitcher – the person who throws the ball to the batter). He plays for the Philadelphia Phillies (a team from Philadelphia). The Phillies got him from the Minnesota Twins (a team from Minnesota) about a year ago at a special time called the trade deadline (the last moment teams can swap players). Since that trade, he has run out onto the field to start his pitching in 32 games at his home stadium, called Citizens Bank Park.

The Usual Entrance: A Fun Show

When Duran plays at home, the team puts on a little pretend party for the fans. Here is how it normally goes, step by step:

1. The lights in the stadium turn off.
2. A bell sound plays.
3. Duran jogs from a special waiting area called the bullpen (where relief pitchers get ready) to the middle of the field (the mound).
4. A song called "El Incomprendido" by Farruko plays.
5. Then another song, "Hot" by Daddy Yankee and Pitbull, mixes in.
6. Cartoon spider pictures crawl on the big screens around the park.

Important Point: This entrance is now very familiar to Phillies fans – they expect it every time Duran comes in to pitch!

What Happened at the 2026 All-Star Game?

The All-Star Game is a special once-a-year match where the best players from two big groups – the American League and National League – play against each other. This was the 96th such game, held on July 14, 2026, at Citizens Bank Park.

Like the rest of the night, Duran’s entrance was a little off kilter (meaning not quite right).

• The music was supposed to start when he began jogging, but it didn’t.
• The stadium stayed silent while Duran ran to the mound.
• The music finally started after he began throwing a few practice pitches.

Even though many fans had already gone home, the people still there gave him a big cheer (an ovation).

Important Point: The silence was a mistake – normally the music would have been playing the whole time, so the quiet was noticeable!

How Did the Game Go for Duran and Others?

Let’s understand the ninth inning (the last part of the game). The National League was losing to the American League by 4 runs to 0.

• A pitcher named Mason Miller from the San Diego Padres (another team) went in first.
• Miller struck out (made the batter miss three times) a batter named Munetaka Murakami from the Chicago White Sox.
• Duran started warming up when Miller ran onto the field.
• After Miller, Duran came in and got the next two outs (meaning he made two batters unable to keep scoring). He did allow one hit (a single – a basic hit that lets the batter reach first base) to Randy Arozarena from the Seattle Mariners, but then finished his job.

Extra Fun Details

• Before the game, Duran had at least six pairs of special shoes (cleats) with flame pictures on them to match the spider/flame theme.
• Another pair was delivered about four hours before the game started.

What Did Another Player Say?

Riley O’Brien, a pitcher (closer) for the St. Louis Cardinals and a first-time All-Star, said before the game that he was excited to watch Duran’s entrance from the bench (dugout). He mentioned that his own team also turns off lights when he enters, but he said that’s more for the fans. He said:

"By that time, I’m pretty focused on the game and what I need to do so I try not to think about it too much."

Summary

To sum up: Jhoan Duran, a Phillies pitcher, usually gets a cool lights-and-music entrance. At the 2026 All-Star Game in Philadelphia, the music didn’t play at first, so he jogged in quietly, but it kicked in later. He still got cheers. He pitched the end of the game after Mason Miller, got two outs, and had fun flaming shoes. Another pitcher, Riley O’Brien, said he was excited to see the show but stays focused on the game.

This article was reported by Brandon Holveck for The News Journal. He can be contacted at bholveck@delawareonline.com.

FAQ

Q1: What is the MLB All-Star Game?
A: It’s a special baseball game once a year where the best players from the American League and National League (two groups of teams) play together in a fun exhibition.

Q2: What does a “closer” do?
A: A closer is a pitcher who usually comes in near the end of the game to try to secure the win by getting the last batters out.

Q3: Why is the “bullpen” important?
A: The bullpen is the area where relief pitchers (like Duran) warm up before they go onto the field to pitch.

Q4: What does “trade deadline” mean?
A: It’s a fixed date during the season when teams must stop trading (swapping) players with each other.

Q5: What is an “ovation”?
A: It’s when the crowd claps or cheers loudly to show they like something a player did.